Fruit Loops

Saturday, September 20, 2025

I don’t know if you noticed, but last week’s love letter omitted any mention of food, no restaurant meals or other notable treats. I’m sorry to say that this did not represent moderation of my normally avaricious habits. Rather, I was deferring to the stitches in my lower gums patching me up after some messy surgery. Instead, I was left to deal with violence, here and abroad. There’s always enough of that to go around.

Sunday, September 21, 2025

I have very little personal experience with the Taliban, so I don’t know if they are particularly competitive. Also, I don’t know how much they are keeping up with news from the land of the free and the home of the brave where we are clamping down on libraries, college students and professors, and television comedians. The Taliban on their part have taken a broader approach, removing books written by women from their university system, which admits men only. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/taliban-ban-books-written-women-234137258.html 

 

Of course, anything that Jane Austen said can probably be found in "The Art of the Deal."

Monday, September 22, 2025

The United Nations General Assembly convenes today with the area around First Avenue and East 42nd Street as friendly as the Ukraine-Russia border. I had a doctor’s appointment this morning on East 38th Street between Second and Third Avenues. I traded dollars for aggravation and took a taxicab. We found a relatively unjammed route that allowed me to walk (stumble) very few steps.

Good Doctor Ji gave me two shots in my tuchus directed at my spine, which he believes is the source of much of my non-political discomfort. Initial relief begins in a couple of days with the full benefit in a couple of weeks after my payment clears.

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To speed the healing process, Terrific Tom joined me for lunch at Schnipper’s, 620 Eighth Avenue, street level in the New York Times Building. The big, airy, plain vanilla space offers excellent hamburgers. I had a special today, French Onion Soup Burger ($13), though not served  on French bread or a croissant, but on an English muffin. Otherwise, it was true to its name, oniony, cheesy, a bit sloppy. The fries were called House, not French ($5.25) and they indeed transcended national boundaries. I’m feeling better already.

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In 1935, the United States Supreme Court decided that the president could not remove independent regulators without cause and solely over policy disagreements. Humphrey's Executor v. United States, 295 U.S. 602 (1935). Today, our current majority of justices said, “No problem. Independent, shmindependent.” Fire away!

Tuesday, September 22, 2025

We returned to JCC Harlem, 318 West 118th Street, for High Holy Day services. It’s good to gather with other Members of the Tribe on this occasion. However, the group of one hundred or so people was neither a congregation in a formal sense nor a community in an informal sense. It was akin to a group of people on a subway platform waiting for the next train. Their common purpose was narrow and momentary.

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On the other hand, we had a sense of belonging at dinner with the Posmans and members of their family, including a delightful three-year old who spoke English, Hebrew and Serbian. The food was equally impressive.

Wednesday, September 23, 2025

President Trump spoke at the White House on Monday about autism and to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. You know, Tylenol and “kill all the cows.” If an ordinary person had said much of the same thing, the hoots of derision might still be echoing. If Joe Biden were the speaker, Congressional Republicans would have the pitchforks out and be chanting the words of the 25th Amendment.

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America’s Favorite Epidemiologist labored long and hard to produce a wonderful meal for a group of our friends today. There was no lack of affection and community around the table aided by the quality and quantity of food provided. 

Thursday, September 25, 2025

The Holy Land is home to 56 billionaires, more than any other location. 

https://patch.com/new-york/new-york-city/s/jlrp9/56-new-york-billionaires-among-americas-richest-people-see-new-list?utm_source=NYJW_Iterable&utm_campaign=NYJW_Daily_Update&utm_medium=email

If we go slumming and look at millionaires, we also have the highest number, a remarkable 384,500.

https://www.henleyglobal.com/publications/wealthiest-cities-2025/top-50-cities-millionaires

What constitutes a millionaire is undefined. Net worth or annual earnings? Once upon a time it was probably net worth, but real estate appreciation has put a lot of folks in that range. It loses a lot of glamor when the secret of success was just sitting still in your cooperative apartment.

The richest New Yorker is Michael Bloomberg, 13th of the Forbes 400, formerly mayor 2001-2013. Income inequality preceded him and succeeded him, which I think will be the case with the Democratic Socialist likely to be the next mayor. Zohran Mamdani will be the youngest mayor in over 100 years, the first Muslim and the poorest, at least when entering office.

Friday, September 26, 2025

What do Donald Trump and a banana have in common? This morning I had my traditional breakfast of cold cereal with fruit. There were raspberries, a peach (just about the last of the season) and a banana, which had been purchased on the weekend. It had not quite defaulted to squishiness, but its skin was very thin. As bananas age, their skin gets thinner just like the Dear Leader and unlike normal human beings who are attributed with thickening skin as they age, experience life and learn.